Nathan Deal to sign sweeping gun bill next week

Gov. Nathan Deal plans to sign legislation next week that would vastly expand where Georgians can legally carry firearms.

House Bill 60, which passed in the final hours of this year’s legislative session, would expand where Georgians may legally carry firearms, including schools, bars, churches and government buildings. A recent analysis also said it could let felons use the state’s “stand your ground” rules to claim self-defense if they feel threatened.

Gun rights groups cheered the news that Deal would sign the measure, which critics have dubbed the “guns everywhere” bill, on Wednesday at a north Georgia event. GeorgiaCarry.org, which had instructed supporters to deluge Deal’s office with calls of support, told its members they could back off.

Deal will join House Speaker David Ralston at the bill signing event at a riverfront pavilion in Ellijay, which is in Ralston’s district, said Brian Robinson, the governor’s spokesman.

Deal’s support for the bill was never in doubt. Vetoing the bill would have risked alienating the powerful gun rights lobby ahead of a competitive May 20 primary. Even Democrat Jason Carter, his party’s nominee for governor, voted for the measure and later proclaimed himself an “NRA Democrat.”

The bill has attracted international media attention. Opponents including former Rep. Gabby Giffords have waged campaigns against the bill. Supporters have ratcheted up the pressure, too. The National Rifle Association called the measure “the most comprehensive pro-gun reform bill in state history.”

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Here is the story about my friend Christian being shot by this guy at the bar who had a concealed weapons permit.

The Weston man accused of shooting a bouncer at the Elbo Room on Fort Lauderdale beach in 2012 will likely face a homicide charge now that the victim has died, prosecutors said Friday.

The State Attorney's Office told Broward Circuit Judge Barbara McCarthy that it intends to amend its case against Gregory Burns, 52, of Weston, who was originally charged with aggravated battery with a firearm and discharging a firearm in public.

Prosecutors have not decided yet whether Burns will be charged with murder or manslaughter. A decision will come in April. Burns has been out on a $10,000 bond since his arrest. That bond amount, and the conditions that go with it, will be revisited once the new charges are filed.

Police said Burns shot bouncer Cristian Nunez at 10:30 p.m. Aug. 31, 2012, in the iconic bar at the corner of Las Olas Boulevard and A1A. According to police, Burns was asked to leave the establishment after he got into an argument with another patron. As Nunez was escorting Burns out, the two men began to fight. Nunez wound up with a gunshot wound to the stomach.

Burns had a permit to carry a concealed weapon in Florida, but state law prohibits guns in bars.

After the shooting, Nunez was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition. After multiple surgeries, hospital care and long-term treatment, he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.

Burns' lawyer, Eliot Lupkin, could not be reached for comment Friday, despite a message left at his Oakland Park office.

Nunez's friends gathered for a memorial service in Pembroke Pines on Thursday night, where his parents thanked his friends for their support since the shooting, said Brandon Sheplor, a friend and fellow bouncer.

Nunez was buried Friday morning at Fred Hunter's Memorial Gardens North in Hollywood.

"The family asked us not to talk too much about the violence with him," Sheplor said. "They wanted us to be positive, to focus on his health and not anything negative."

But now that Nunez is dead, Sheplor said, he wants to see Burns face the consequences.

"The guy should burn for it," he said. "I've been doing this 22 years. I've seen violence on television, but I've never seen that kind of violence in real life, ever."

Guns being allowed in bars, What could possibly go wrong? These lawmakers should be removed from office for endangering the public and our police officers. What a backyard bunch of hicks.

My friend Christen was working as bouncer in Fort Lauderdale. He was escorting this drunk guy out of the bar. The guy pulled a gun out of his concealed hoster and shot him. The guy claimed "Stand Your Ground", so they let him go. Christen past last month after battling for his life for 14 months. They picked the guy up who shot him, and charged his with murder.

This is the future for Georgians. A guy carries a concelled weapon lawfully in the bar, then shoots a bouncer for doing his job, then gets away with because of "Stand Your Ground." The Wild West has come to Georgia.

This means that I can go to the State Capitol and not have to be screened. Wow, look at how much money will be saved not having to pay those lazy worthless State Patrol officers and keeping those machines working.

Stand your ground will now mean, who ever survives a shootout is the one who was right. Think how much money we will save not having to worry about that part of the judicial system.

Say no to dangerous churches that allow weapons inside, say no to sports bars, say no to strip clubs, say no to restaurants, and say no to outdoor concerts. My family and I are entertaining at home where it is safe and ready to watch WSB channel 2 news of constant gun violence.

Now imagine when an officer ask a drunk for his concealed weapon at a sports bar. All hell may break loose.

Weapons will be there and fools will be delighted to justify shooting in public places. Duck if you can.

"Red states are dangerous states with lawmakers equally dangerous
to enact dangerous laws to drive home a point to exhibit
conservatism'---mrob

Georgia anti-gunners your illegal war to impose gun control on the righteous and patriotic citizens of our state will come to a symbolic end next Wednesday after 1200 hours in Ellijay where Governor Deal will drive a stake thru it's dark and evil heart, and cut off it's head for good. We will then burn the body and entomb it officially on 1 July. FROM OUR COLD DEAD HANDS!!!! Thank you Governor Nathan Deal!!

This is so depressing. Even more depressing is the amount of people that support this lunacy. Guns in bars, churches? What is wrong with you paranoid people???? You have FAR more of a chance of hurting a loved one with guns everywhere than you do of ever being attacked or having your home broken into. I would vote democrat this November, but it appears it won't do any good.

Uh ...... statistics can be made to put forth any premise. NGaChip's are rejected herewith.

More importantly, shootouts and gun battles have escalated out of control since the late 1980's in Florida. I LIVED in Florida during the 90's and gun shootouts were common in urban and rural areas. Frighteningly so. Those who use terms such as 'conservative' and 'liberal' are ignorant and actually can't even define those words in today's culture. CC permits are a joke. ANYONE will get a weapon if they want it.

Again, kudos to the governor and legislators in GA ---- arm EVERYONE ! The blood and death will flow and we'll have our wonderful 2nd amendment rights world. USA <<< murder by firearms capital of the world for DECADES. Hmmmm.... I wonder why. Oh well, at least I can shoot someone legally now in GA. Off to church .... where's my Glock ? Oh yeah, I left it at the bar last night when I was drunk.

Ever since the state of Florida expanded it's concealed carry legislation all the way back in 1987, Liberals have soiled themselves in hysteria, screaming and raving about shootouts over fenderbenders and parking spaces... and have continued to do so as state after state adopted, expanded, or improved concealed carry legislation, recognizing the rights of the American people to defend themselves against violent criminals.

Now, here in this forum, we once again see liberals soiling themselves while screaming and raving about getting shot for singing off key in church and other such nonsense.

Of course, all the predicted hysteria never happened. After all, people who go to the trouble and expense of obtaining CC permits are law-abiding in the first place. (It's always amazing to me how liberals can never wrap their drug-addled heads around the fact that criminals do not apply for CC permits that they cannot get... criminals already carry their stolen guns illegally anyway.)

Actually, something interesting has happened... as more states have respected the American right to self defense, violent crime has dropped... thanks to the effect of more and more Americans arming themselves and fighting back. Crime has dropped because criminals, unlike liberals, have enough brains to understand attacking armed victims is a bad idea. (For some bizarre reason, liberals continue to insist that we should all be helpless in the face of violent attack. Strange.)

But, silly me, here I go annoying liberals with facts. You know, you can lead liberals to logic, but you just can't make them think. Thinkikng is hard work, and we know libs aren't into that. Apparently, it's just too much fun for libs to soil themselves while screaming and raving, even when they are so clueless. Given the liberal obsession with bodily function, there must be something about voiding their bladders and colons into their clothing that they find pleasing... but I'll never understand it.

By the way, I'll close with just a few more facts:

US adult population: about 250 million;

people who consistently self-identify in polls as liberal: 45 million

people who consistently self-identify in polls as conservative: 100 million

number of armed conservatives: 80 million.

Clearly, gun control/registration/confiscation just ain't going anywhere, Libbies... soil yourselves again and just deal with it.

Nothing to really worry about here people. This one was just election year pandering without much substance. The one to pay attention to is whether Deal signs the bill allowing private probation companies to operate in the dark. I'm really surprised their lobbyists were able to push that one through in an election year.

This is great ! Arm EVERYONE and head into bars, schools and churches ! Time to start blasting away. OMG there are going to be some many, many dead bodies all over Georgia ! I can't wait for the bloodbath. Death everywhere ! Thanks Governor !

"Deal’s support for the bill was never in doubt. Vetoing the bill would have risked alienating the powerful gun rights lobby ahead of a competitive May 20 primary. Even Democrat Jason Carter, his party’s nominee for governor, voted for the measure and later proclaimed himself an “NRA Democrat.”

Gotta love politics. I don't think they've ever done an honest day's work. That's too much to ask for. I'm not looking for some kind of utopia world, but it would be nice if they actually made a decision on what they believed. But, then there would be no political parties I guess. Gotta love our political system.

Oh yeah, and remind me never to go to church again. If I'm singing off tune I don't want someone to get pissed at me and start shooting at me.....Schools are also a briliant place for guns. Anyone remember Columbine? Maybe it was just easy to forget that. It only killed an injured a fair few people.

As someone who was shot during an armed robbery in Feb, 2000 I love this law. I was forced to be disarmed by state law at the time (we law abiding license holders obey the laws) and my gun was fifty yards away in my truck. This law will prevent people like me from ever having to be victims again. As some one who has been a victim of a violent crime (aka gun violence by the anti gun people) I can speak from first hand knowledge. Would my being armed the night I was shot have changed the outcome? I don't know, but it definitely would have changed the odds!!!

Boy am I glad I did not vote for Deal. Or any of those other idiots in power in Atlanta now. First old Sam Olens shows up here to talk to the Tea Party about the rights of angry old white men. Now Deal is going to allow angry old white men to tote their guns to everywhere. Drunk white men in bars who fight are not enough? Now we have to have them shooting each other? What about the cops who try to arrest angry old white men for minor violations? Now they have to worry about every group of white males, old or young, legally carrying guns and shooting our cops. road rage was bad enough.

I believe in OUR second amendment, however I would prefer that WE should prove to our neighbors/fellow citizens that we are 1. without violent record, 2. KNOW each and every firearm we own, meaning once permitted, one must re-permit every 2 years. Especially CCP. 3. One must train with registered firearm a minimum of 8 hours a year in a proper (guess we are gonna have to register ranges) facility. 4. Prove you can clean and assemble/handle your firearm. 5. Disclose eyesight limitations when getting permit. 6. Provided written documentation (including receipts) as to how one is planning to secure,as to deter theft of each registered firearm (state to provide guidelines).

I completely agree and support our second amendment rights, but we can do better in being proper, lawful neighbors. I personally do not want any average citizen to be capable of walking/driving in Atlanta traffic with a firearm with out some oversight. Concealed carry permitting requirements should be reviewed and most likely revised. Maybe certain laws should require firearms on hips as we citizens should have the RIGHT to know which citizen is carrying in some of this proposed legislation's environments. We do need to protect ourselves from ourselves. We can do better than we are doing. & NO I do not trust my fellow man. At the very least,, shouldn't we confirm to each other that we are making the best effort to prove to each other we know what we are doing with each and every firearm we choose to own?

I support and exercise my 2nd amendment right. I see some possible gotchas with this law, such as cross fire. I hope I'm not in the bar or some government office when things get out of hand. They need to come up with some new freedoms and leave that one alone.

@Bernie31 --You should get out in the real world, gun sales are up for every size firearm especially hand guns nationwide. Any given bar (applebee's is not a bar) a number of patrons are toting, black churches historically tote, especially the preacher. In nearly every case of a shooting at a bar it is outside the bar and the guns came out of the car, not off the hip. I'm not a hater by any stretch and my only fear is the left wing gov't will shut down over night the ammo mfr's. Walmart and all the gun shops do not have the inventory of ammo to last 24 hours. The gov't will take the guns last, after they know their is no ammo available. I hear guys all the time "I've got enough guns for a small army", but they fail to think about not having the ammo to shoot with. That will be the only way my kind will go by way of the dinosaur is the lack of ammo; but you'll be gone way before then.

Can't wait to see all the legal gun owners running around with their piece strapped on their hip and looking to be vigilantes. Let the gun fights begin....the lawyers are already circling just waiting to launch the first lawsuits for wrongful deaths when the cowboys start shooting up the town in the name if keeping the piece

@mrob Move Far enough away from Georgia for you and your family to be safe. Can I

suggest either Chicago or New York? Although I have friends in NY and they feel closer

to me. Hmmm. Maybe across the pond in England then? They have very strict gun laws (you

can't own one, generally). If you are so against the seminal and basic rights of Americans then why continue to subject yourself to the horrors of what is left of a FREE COUNTRY?

I am only concerned with your happiness and sense of security. Remember though that you may be left with a small hole in the floor where you can empty your chamber pot and a small slot in the door where a thin plate can be passed through for your food. Also your room will be a 6 x 9 cubicle with no windows. It is well known that those who fear their shadows will jump as daylight passes through a window. Your Socialist overseers will explain better and you can spend your years wondering why you now feel so claustrophobic since you were only looking for security! Good luck with that.

@mrob: After 1 July it will be illegal for any police officer to ask or inquire about a citizen's legally carried gun(s) unless there is reasonable suspicion or probable cause that a crime has or is about to occur. Any department caught violating this law can be sued in court for violation of this most basic God given civil right, which is how it should be.

@Numbers_R_Us Yea and Liberals don't have egos. lol the biggest ego is the president and the vice isn't too far behind. Go hug a tree and cry for women's lib Numbers. This is the land of the free and home of the brave, not pansy. You don't like it, get the heck out!

Ok let's go with Columbine a "Gun Free Zone" Harris and Klebold didn't have a problem breaking that law, illegal possession of firearms yep they broke that law too, and I would assume that murder was illegal as well. So we might describe Harris and Kiebold as criminal. Do criminals follow laws? Nope, but carry permit holders do.

@partlycloudy Can you please cite me an example of a GWCL, in particular an "angry old white man", a "drunk white man", GWCL's "shooting each other" or GWCL's "shooting cops". Just curious as to a factual citation. Thanks in advance.

@partlycloudy partlycloudy i gather your brain is partly cloudy, since you poste leads me to gather your a raciest you must realize if us old white men were as bad as you claim you wouldnt be around to spout your hate im just saying

@Kamchak Less people are "registering" guns when they buy them. In my 30 years of owning hand guns and long guns, I've never registered the first one. Each gun was bought legally with background check (after it became law), purchase receipt issued with serial # entered on the receipt, but that is not registering.

@taters Doubtful since a Stand Your Ground claim requires that there be only one person alive to give his version of what happened. The cops are bound by law to accept the survivor's story unless there is evidence the surviving shooter is lying.

Guns being allowed in bars, What could possibly go wrong? These lawmakers should be removed from office for endangering the public and our police officers. What a backyard bunch of hicks.

My friend Christen was working as bouncer in Fort Lauderdale. He was escorting this drunk guy out of the bar. The guy pulled a gun out of his concealed hoster and shot him. The guy claimed "Stand Your Ground", so they let him go. Christen past last month after battling for his life for 14 months. They picked the guy up who shot him, and charged his with murder.

This is the future for Georgians. A guy carries a concelled weapon lawfully in the bar, then shoots a bouncer for doing his job, then gets away with because of "Stand Your Ground." The Wild West has come to Georgia.

Guns being allowed in bars, What could possibly go wrong? These lawmakers should be removed from office for endangering the public and our police officers. What a backyard bunch of hicks.

My friend Christen was working as bouncer in Fort Lauderdale. He was escorting this drunk guy out of the bar. The guy pulled a gun out of his concealed hoster and shot him. The guy claimed "Stand Your Ground", so they let him go. Christen past last month after battling for his life for 14 months. They picked the guy up who shot him, and charged his with murder.

This is the future for Georgians. A guy carries a concelled weapon lawfully in the bar, then shoots a bouncer for doing his job, then gets away with because of "Stand Your Ground." The Wild West has come to Georgia.

P.S. The guy that shot him was an upper class 52 year old white male. He had a concealed weapons permit.

@Kamchak@glockowner And the NY Times NEVER lies! If gun ownership is on the decline, then what is the big uproar from libs all about? I wonder how many would be complaining if they are in a bank or restaurant & someone walks in with a gun demanding money & threatens to shoot only to be stopped by someone with a concealed carry gun? Would they still be opposed? Only those who don't have a brain!

@Kamchak@glockownerand do you really think I are anybody else with common sense would answer that survey honestly so that in the near future a government agent could come to my door and demand my weapons use your brain before you believe the media reports